An advocacy group, tourism operators and residents are pressing the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to release the environmental permits and technical studies for a P3.5-billion river protection project along the Loboc River, as dredging and steel sheet piling resume amid questions over whether the required clearances are in place.

Doers Collective said in a Facebook post that it could not confirm whether an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) has been issued for the current works. It urged DPWH to pause in-river construction on non-critical stretches until an independent review is done.

Members of the Provincial Board’s committees on environment and public works inspected the project after complaints from tourism stakeholders and residents, and asked for the ECC, environmental permits, technical studies and compliance reports.

The inspection was led by board members Jiselle Rae Aumentado Villamor, Lucille Lagunay and Greg Jala. Stakeholders said they do not oppose flood control and that their concern is the project’s design.

The group said riverside families need protection after Typhoon Tino pushed floodwaters into homes on Nov. 4, 2025, but argued that the work should rest on evidence.

The project, funding of which was worked out by Bohol 3rd District Rep. Alexie Besas-Tutor, was suspended in 2025 for lacking an ECC and Protected Area Management Board resolutions, according to the group, citing DPWH’s own district engineer.

DPWH later reported applying for the ECC on Aug. 23, 2025. Works resumed this month.

Stakeholders say nipa palms and riverbank vegetation have been cleared without consultation. They fear harm to firefly habitat, though the group noted that no firefly survey for Loboc has been published.

The river supports the Loboc river cruise, which the group said sustains hundreds of families, and flows past Loboc Church, a national cultural treasure, and the home of the nationally known Loboc Children’s Choir.

The group cited a review of 141 studies finding that nature-based solutions reduce peak flows in smaller, frequent floods and work best alongside conventional engineering. It said confining a river can reduce floodplain storage and push flood peaks downstream.

DPWH’s own 2014 guidelines on river dredging for flood control say projects must secure either a Certificate of Non-Coverage or an ECC from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau.

The group made five demands:

– DPWH and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to release the ECC, environmental impact documents, PAMB resolutions, and hydraulic and scour designs.

– A pause on new in-river works at non-critical sections, with protection of documented critical points continuing.

– An independent hydraulic and ecological assessment, including a firefly and riparian baseline.

– A hybrid design with enforced river easements and early warning systems.

– Completion of the Provincial Board review and a Commission on Audit (COA) audit.

Online, concerned citizens also weighed in.

Desiderio Asane said proper process was not followed and urged officials to consult before deciding.

He said power is temporary and that leaders should not overreach.

Nathaniel Duenas said a negative declaration is required before any work starts.

He said the environmental assessment determines whether a full environmental impact study is needed and sets mitigation measures, and that an ECC is requested only after those measures are met.

Edwin Pergamino criticized the project as a multibillion-peso undertaking that he said was being used as an experiment, and linked it to the Marcos administration.

The demands come as flood control spending remains under heavy public scrutiny nationwide.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revealed in July 2025 that a flood control program worth more than P545 billion had been plagued by corruption.

Finance Secretary Ralph Recto told legislators that up to P118.5 billion for flood control may have been lost to corruption since 2023.

The scandal involves thousands of flood defense projects alleged to have been built with substandard materials or not built at all.

Prosecutors filed the first criminal charges in November 2025 against former congressman Elizaldy Co and public works officials over a substandard dike project in Oriental Mindoro.

Authorities have since arrested nine people, including construction executive Sarah Discaya, dubbed the “flood control queen.”

The government has frozen about P12 billion in assets of individuals linked to the scandal.

Tens of thousands joined protests in Manila, and a survey found corruption among Filipinos’ top national concerns. The issue has resurfaced after the latest monsoon floods.

No one has alleged corruption in the Loboc project. The concerns raised by the group, the Provincial Board and residents center on permits, transparency, consultation and environmental safeguards. Those accused in the national cases have not been convicted, and the charges are being contested in court.

DPWH, the DENR and the Loboc local government unit could not be reached for comment.